Modern networks have revolutionized the way in which people obtain information. In this regard, IP data networks developed for the Internet provide an opportunity for users to interact utilizing multimedia communications. For example, a computing device with the appropriate hardware and software allows a user to send/receive video, audio, instant messages (e.g., text), and the like between other networked computing devices. Data transmitted over the IP data network is processed into a sequence of data blocks, called packets, that adhere to IP protocols capable of communicating a variety of media types. With a personal computer, such as a desktop or laptop, users may establish multimedia network sessions in which different media types are communicated concurrently.
Increasingly, media-specific computing devices are being developed that are configured to transmit data over IP data networks. For example, an IP phone implements functionality to digitize analog phone signals, partition the digitized signal into packets, and transmit the packets to another IP networked computing device. In this example, the audio data may be packetized in accordance with the Voice over Internet Protocol (“VOIP”). With the development of these types of devices, users may communicate audio data over a network without necessarily using a personal computer. In other words, instead of a user being required to use an audio input device (e.g., microphone) that is connected to a personal computer, a network accessible IP phone may be employed to communicate audio data directly over an IP data network.
A deficiency with existing systems is that different real-time media types may only be communicated during a multimedia network session using the same computing device. In this regard, a user may employ a personal computer with the appropriate hardware and software to participate in an online conference in which real-time video, audio, instant messages (e.g., text), and the like are communicated between computing devices. However, the user may not employ a plurality of networked computing devices to transmit these different media types. For example, a user may prefer to use a Web cam associated with a personal computer to transmit video data during the online conference, while concurrently using an IP phone to communicate audio data. With existing systems, a user can only communicate multiple real-time media types from the same computing device. This deficiency limits the use of computing devices, such as IP phones, that provide features desired by users.